How Much Home Equity Can I Borrow in 2026? (Calculator + Requirements)
Calculate how much home equity you can borrow in 2026. HELOC (85% CLTV), home equity loan (85% CLTV), cash-out refinance (80% LTV), Hometap (50% equity). Free calculator + requirements for each option.
⚡ Quick Answer: How Much Can You Borrow?
You can borrow up to 85% of your home equity depending on the loan type. Example: $500K home with $300K mortgage = $200K equity. Max borrow: HELOC 85% ($170K), Home Equity Loan 80% ($160K), Cash-Out Refi 80% ($160K), or Hometap Investment up to $600K (no monthly payments). Compare rates to find your best option.
📊 Quick Example ($500K home, $300K mortgage):
- • HELOC: ($500K × 85%) - $300K = $125K max
- • Home Equity Loan: ($500K × 85%) - $300K = $125K max
- • Cash-Out Refi: ($500K × 80%) - $300K = $100K max
- • Hometap: $200K equity × 50% = $100K max (no monthly payments!)
💰 See How Much You Can Borrow - Get Your Free Quote
Compare HELOC, home equity loan, cash-out refi, and Hometap. See your max amount in 2 minutes.
Free calculator • Soft credit check • No obligation
85%
Max CLTV (HELOC)
$600K
Max (Hometap)
2 min
Get Your Quote
Home Equity Borrowing Calculator 2026
Use this calculator to see how much home equity you can borrow with each option:
📊 Calculate Your Max Borrowing Amount
$500,000
(Example - enter your actual value)
$300,000
(Example - enter your actual balance)
Your Current Equity:
$200,000 (40%)
$500,000 home value - $300,000 mortgage = $200,000 equity
HELOC (85% CLTV)
$125,000
($500K × 85%) - $300K = $125K max
• Variable rate 8.5%-11.0% • Monthly payments • 10-year draw period
Home Equity Loan (85% CLTV)
$125,000
($500K × 85%) - $300K = $125K max
• Fixed rate 8.0%-10.0% • Monthly payments • 10-30 year term
Cash-Out Refinance (80% LTV)
$100,000
($500K × 80%) - $300K = $100K max
• Fixed rate 6.5%-7.5% • Monthly payments • 15-30 year term
Hometap (50% equity, max $600K)
$100,000
$200K equity × 50% = $100K max
• NO monthly payments • Share 15-35% appreciation • 10-year term
💡 Pro Tip: Hometap has NO monthly payments and accepts 500+ credit score (vs 680+ for HELOC). Best for retirees, bad credit, or anyone who wants to avoid monthly payments.
Maximum Home Equity Borrowing Limits by Loan Type
| Loan Type | Max CLTV/LTV | Max Amount (Example) | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| HELOC | 85% CLTV | $125K ($500K home, $300K mortgage) | 680+ credit, DTI <43% |
| Home Equity Loan | 85% CLTV | $125K ($500K home, $300K mortgage) | 680+ credit, DTI <43% |
| Cash-Out Refinance | 80% LTV | $100K ($500K home, $300K mortgage) | 620+ credit, DTI <45% |
| Hometap (Equity Sharing) | 50% equity (max $600K) | $100K ($200K equity × 50%) | 500+ credit, NO DTI check |
| Reverse Mortgage (62+) | 50-60% equity | $100K-$120K (age-based) | 62+ age, NO income required |
Real Examples: How Much Can You Borrow?
Example 1: $400K Home, $200K Mortgage (50% Equity)
Your Situation:
- • Home value: $400K
- • Mortgage balance: $200K
- • Current equity: $200K (50%)
Max You Can Borrow:
- • HELOC: $140K (85% CLTV)
- • Home Equity Loan: $140K (85% CLTV)
- • Cash-Out Refi: $120K (80% LTV)
- • Hometap: $100K (50% equity, NO payments!)
Example 2: $750K Home, $400K Mortgage (47% Equity)
Your Situation:
- • Home value: $750K
- • Mortgage balance: $400K
- • Current equity: $350K (47%)
Max You Can Borrow:
- • HELOC: $237.5K (85% CLTV)
- • Home Equity Loan: $237.5K (85% CLTV)
- • Cash-Out Refi: $200K (80% LTV)
- • Hometap: $175K (50% equity, max $600K)
Example 3: $1.2M Home, $500K Mortgage (58% Equity)
Your Situation:
- • Home value: $1.2M
- • Mortgage balance: $500K
- • Current equity: $700K (58%)
Max You Can Borrow:
- • HELOC: $520K (85% CLTV)
- • Home Equity Loan: $520K (85% CLTV)
- • Cash-Out Refi: $460K (80% LTV)
- • Hometap: $350K (50% equity, capped at $600K max)
💰 Get Up to $600K - No Monthly Payments with Hometap
See your personalized offer in 2 minutes. No monthly payments for 10 years.
500+ credit OK • No DTI check • Free quote
Get My Hometap Offer →Requirements to Borrow Home Equity
✅ HELOC Requirements
- • Credit Score: 680+ (best rates 740+)
- • DTI Ratio: Max 43%
- • Max CLTV: 85%
- • Income Verification: Required
- • Appraisal: Required ($300-$600)
✅ Home Equity Loan Requirements
- • Credit Score: 680+ (best rates 740+)
- • DTI Ratio: Max 43%
- • Max CLTV: 85%
- • Income Verification: Required
- • Appraisal: Required ($300-$600)
✅ Cash-Out Refinance Requirements
- • Credit Score: 620+ (best rates 740+)
- • DTI Ratio: Max 45%
- • Max LTV: 80%
- • Income Verification: Required
- • Appraisal: Required ($400-$800)
✅ Hometap Requirements
- • Credit Score: 500+ (flexible!)
- • DTI Ratio: NOT required (no income check)
- • Max Equity: 50% (max $600K)
- • Income Verification: NOT required
- • Appraisal: Free (Hometap pays)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much home equity can I borrow?
You can borrow up to 85% CLTV with HELOC or home equity loan, 80% LTV with cash-out refinance, or 50% equity with Hometap (max $600K, NO monthly payments). Example: $500K home with $300K mortgage = $125K max (HELOC/home equity loan).
What is the maximum CLTV for a HELOC?
Most lenders allow 85% CLTV (Combined Loan-to-Value) for HELOCs. Some lenders go up to 90% CLTV with excellent credit (740+). Formula: (Home Value × 85%) - Current Mortgage = Max HELOC Amount.
Can I borrow 100% of my home equity?
No, lenders require you to keep 15-20% equity (cushion for market fluctuations). Max borrowing: 80-85% CLTV. Exception: Hometap allows up to 50% equity (no monthly payments).
How do I calculate how much home equity I can borrow?
Formula: (Home Value × Max CLTV) - Current Mortgage = Max Borrow Amount. Example: ($500K × 85%) - $300K = $125K max. Use our calculator above for instant results.
What is the difference between LTV and CLTV?
LTV (Loan-to-Value) = New loan ÷ Home value. CLTV (Combined LTV) = (1st mortgage + 2nd mortgage/HELOC) ÷ Home value. CLTV is used for HELOCs and home equity loans.
Can I borrow home equity with bad credit?
Most HELOCs require 680+ credit. If you have bad credit (<680), consider Hometap (accepts 500+ credit, NO monthly payments) or FHA cash-out refinance (580+ credit, 80% LTV).
🏆 Ready to Borrow Your Home Equity?
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